Refuse truck



Nov. 28, 1967 A. w. NELSON REFUSE TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1965 R O m V m A. W. NELSON Nov. 28, 1967 REFUSE TRUCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 25, 1965 INVENTOR. 4e/v/z/e M M54 JaA/ Patented Nov. 28, 1967 3,355,044 REFUSE TRUCK Arthur W. Nelson, Weld-Built Body Co., 276 Long Island Ave., Wyandanch, N.Y. 11798 Filed Mar. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 442,702 4 Claims. (Cl. 214-518) The present invention relates in general to refuse trucks and in particular, to improvements in loading and compacting means for such trucks.

In order to achieve efiicient and economical operation of a refuse truck, the stored refuse must be properly compacted and forced away from the loading hopper if an adequate load is to be provided in the truck.

Various different types of refuse compacting means are disclosed in the prior art. In such prior art devices, compaction of the refuse is achieved by relatively complicated packing mechanisms which are confined to locations above or in alignment with the opening in the truck hopper. However, due to the restricted location of these compacting mechanisms of the prior art, such mechanisms are of necessity complicated and must be properly synchronized with the deposition of refuse from the hopper into the interior of the truck body. In addition, since the hopper opening is generally located above the bottom of the truck body, refuse which is lodged in the lower rearward portion of the truck body is frequently by-passed by the compacting action. In addition, stoppage of the compacting mechanism results in a complete or a partial blockage of the flow of refuse into the truck interior with the result that the truck is rendered inoperative.

In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a loading and compacting means for refuse trucks which obviates the disadvantages of the prior art loading and compacting means.

' It is another object of the present invention to provide such a means which is relatively simple in construction, efiicient in operation and which will have a relatively long life.

It is another object of the present invention to provide such a compacting means which can be manufactured at a re atively low cost and sold ata relatively low price and which, nevertheless, will be highly efficient in operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a loading and compacting means for a refuse truck wherein discrete charges of refuse are loaded intothe loading hopper, each chaige being compacted in a relatively simple manner and then loaded directly in compacted form into the refuse truck body.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to one skilled in the art from a consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the appended drawin s.

7 In the drawings which illustrate the best modes present 1y contemplated for carrying out the invention:

FIGURE 1 is 'a side elevation view 'of a refuse truck 'pii'rsu'ant to the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a more or less diagramatic illustration of a loading and com acting means for a refuse truck pursuant to the present invention and illustrates said means with a discrete charge of refuse disposed within the tail gate hopper thereof; V

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates the means for compacting the charge of refuse;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and illus* trates the compacted refuse charge being elevated for loading into the truck body;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and illus- Igraes the loading of the compacted charge into the truck FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and illustrates a loaded truck body showing the compacted refuse charges in condition for being discharged or unloaded from the truck;

FIGURE 7 is a diagramatic perspective View of the loading and compacting means pursuant to the present in vention;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 and shows a modified form of loading and compacting means for a refuse truck inwhich the refuse hopper has provision for the rear-loading of the refuse charges therein;

FIGURE 9 is a more or less diagramatic view of the refuse loading and compacting means in the form of the invention illustrated in FIGURE 8, the loaded refuse charge being in the process of being com acted;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 and illus trates the compacted refuse charge in a raised position thereof prior to loading into the truck body;

FIGURE 11 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 and illustrates the loading of the compacted refuse charge into the truck body;

FIGURE 12 is a view similar to FIGURE 9 and illus' trates the compacted refuse charges disposed within the truck body prior to the discharge thereof from the truck body; and

FIGURE 13 is a diagramatic pers ective view of the loading and compacting means illustrated in the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 8.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 through 7 in detail, there is shown a refuse truck 20 provided with a tail gate hopper 22 pursuant to the present invention. The refuse truck 20 is provided with a chassis 24 on which there is mounted a refuse storage body 26. The refuse storage body 26 is provided with an open end 28 which is remote from the cab 30 of the truck. The open body end 28 is closed by the tail gate hopper 22 which is pivoted thereon. More specifically, the tail gate hopper 22 is provided with the pivot hinges 32 provided on the top wall 34 thereof. Com plem'entary pivot hinges 36 are provided on the truck body 26 and pivot pins 38 interconnect the complementary hinges of the hopper and the truck body. In view of the foregoing, it will be ap arent that the tail gate hopper 22 may be moved to and from the full line position thereof shown in FIGURE 1 in which the hopper closes the rear end opening of the truck body and the broken line posi* tion thereof in which the hopper is retracted from the rear end opening 28 so as to permit for the discharge of the contents of the truck body.

As best shown in FIGURE 7, the tail gate hopper 22 is provided in additionto the top wall 34 with a bottom wall 40 opposing end walls 42 and 44 and a rear wall 46 which extends from the top wall 34 to the bottom wall 40. In addition, the hop er 22 is provided with a front wall 48 which extends only part way upwardly from the bott m wall '40 toward the too wall 34 so that there is defined a front wall opening 50 through which compacted refuse charges may be discharged from the tail gate hopper 22 into the truck body 26. The tail gate hop er 22 is adapted for side loading thereof and for this purpose each of the 3 end walls 42 and 44 is provided with a loading opening 52 which is closed by a hinged cover 54.

Pursuant to a feature of the present invention, the tail gate hopper 22 is provided with an elevating platform 56. The platform 56 comprises a base 58 which is provided with a pair of upwardly extending end walls 60. As indicated by the arrows 62 in FIGURES 4 and 7, the elevating platform is adapted to be raised from its bottom or lower-most position shown in FIGURE 7 to its elevated position shown in FIGURE 4 and to return from said elevated position as indicated by the arrow 64 in FIGURE to its lower-most or initial position as shown in FIG- URE 7. It will be understood that the truck 20 is provided with suitable conventional mechanism for effecting the elevation and retraction of the elevating plat-form 56 to and from the position thereof shown in FIGURES 4, 6 and 7. Such conventional mechanism is preferably a suitable hydraulic means. The hopper 22 is provided also with a compacting member 66. The member 66 is adapted to be moved from the retracted positions thereof shown in FIGURES 2 and 7 to the projected position thereof shown in FIGURE 3 as indicated by the arrows 68. In addition, the compacting member 66 is adapted to be returned from its projected position to its retracted position. It will be understood that any suitable conventionable means may be provided for this purpose, such means being preferably hydraulic in nature. In addition to the elevating platform 56 and the compacting member 66, the tail gate hopper 22 is provided also with a discharge or unloading member 70. The discharge member 70 is adapted to be moved from the retracted position thereof shown in FIGURE 7 to the projected position thereof shown in FIGURE 5 as indicated by the arrow 72 and to be returned from said projected position to said retracted position. For this purpose suitable conventional means preferably hydraulic in nature are provided in the truck 20.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that with the various elements of the tail gate hopper 22 disposed in the condition thereof illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 7, either or both of the covers 54 may be opened so that a charge of refuse 74 in uncompacted condition may be loaded on the elevating platform 56 as indicated by the arrow 76 in FIGURE 2. The compacting element 66 is then operated as indicated by the arrow 68 in FIGURE 3 so that it is moved toward the rear wall 46 of the hopper so as to compact the refuse charge 74 therebetween to provide a compacted refuse charge 78 on the elevating platform 56. The compacting element 66 is then returned to its original retracted position as shown in FIGURE 4. It will be noted that in its retracted position the compacting element is clear of the elevating platform. Consequently, the elevating platform is then raised from its retracted position to its upwardly projected position as indicated by the arrow 62 in FIGURE 4. It will be noted that in said position the compacted refuse charge 78 is now disposed between the discharge member 70 and the discharge opening 50 in the hopper 22. The discharge member 70 is now operated from its retracted position shown in FIGURE 4 to its projected position shown in FIGURE 5 as indicated by the arrow 80 with the result that the compacted refuse charge 78 on the elevating platform 56 is moved through the opening 50 and discharged into the hollow interior of the refuse storage body 26 as indicated by the arrow 82 in FIGURE 5. The discharge member 70 is then returned from its projected to its retracted position, the elevating platform 56 also being returned from its elevated or projected position to its retracted position as indicated by the arrow 64. An uncompacted refuse charge 74 is new again deposited-on the elevating platform 56 through the side openings 52 and the compacting and discharge process is repeated through the described steps so that another compacted refuse charge 78 is deposited in. the truck body 26. The process is continued until the body 26 is loaded with compacted refuse charges 78 as indicated in FIGURE 6.

Pursuant to another feature of the present invention, the refuse storage body 26 is provided within the hollow interior thereof with a discharge or unloading element or member 84. Member 84 is normally positioned adjacent the cab 30 as shown in broken line in FIGURE 1. It will be understood that the truck body 26 is provided with suitable conventional mechanism to move the discharge member 84 from its retracted position as shown in FIG- URE 1 in the direction of the arrow 86a toward the open end 28 of the hopper and to return the discharge memher from said protracted position thereof to its retracted position. Said conventional mechanism is preferably a suitable hydraulic means which is generally indicated by the reference numeral 86. Consequently, it will be understood that when the truck body 26 is fully loaded with the compacted refuse charges 78 the tail gate hopper 22 is retracted or pivoted as indicated by the arrow 88 in FIG- URE 6 from its retracted position shown in said figure to its projected or broken line position shown in FIG- URE 1. With the tail gate hopper retained in said retracted position therof, the unloading member 84 is now operated in the direction of the arrow 86 so as to discharge the compacted refuse charges 78 from the truck body 26 through the open rear in 28 thereof.

Referring now to FIGURES 8 through 13 in detail, there is shown a tail gate hopper 22A which is adapted for rear loading rather than for side loading as in the case of the previously described tail gate hopper 22. It will be understood that the tail gate hopper 22A is pivotally mounted on the open rear end of the truck body 26 in the same manner as previously described in connection with the tail gate hopper 22. As here shown, the tail gate hopper 22A is provided with a top wall 90, a bottom wall 92 and a pair of opposing side walls 94. In addition, provision is made for an upper rear wall portion 96 which extends downwardly from the upper wall 90 and a lower rear wall portion 98 which extends upwardly from the bottom wall 92. Said upper and rear wall portions define a rear wall opening 100. The opening provides a means for the rear loading of the tail gate hopper 22A as indicated by the arrow 102 in FIGURE 8. The tail gate hopper 22A is provided also with a front wall 104 which extends between the bottom wall 92 and the top wall 90 and in which there is defined a discharge opening 106.

Provision is made in the tail gate hopper 22A for an elevating platform 108 which is similar to the previously described elevating platform 56 and is adapted to be raised from its lower or retracted position as shown in FIG-URE 8 to its upper or projected position as shown in FIGURE 10 as indicated by the arrows 110. It will be understood that the operating mechanism for the elevator 108 is also adapted to return the elevator from its projected to its retracted position and may be similar in nature to the type utilized to operate the elevator platform 56. It will be noted that the elevator platform 108 is spaced forwardly from the rear wall portion 98 and being disposed closer to the front wall 104. The elevator platform 108 is normally seated in a recess 112 defined in the bottom wall 92 and is straddled by the cooperating compacting members or elements 114 and 116. Compacting element 114 is normally disposed adjacent the front wall 104 and compacting element 116 is normally disposed adjacent the rear wall portion 98.

member 70 and as indicated by the arrow 124 and then returned from its projected condition to its retracted position as indicated by the arrow 126. Aspreviously in connection with the member 70, any suitable conventional mechanism preferably hydraulic in nature may be provided for this purpose.

At the start of each cycle of operation, the various elements are disposed in the positions thereof illustrated in FIGURE 8. It will be noted that in said position thereof an uncompacted refuse charge 74 may be deposited through the rear leading opening 100 as indicated by the arrow 102 between the compacting element 116 and the elevator platform 108. The companion compacting elements 114 and 116 are then operated to move together so that the compacting element 116 will move the uncompacted refuse charge 74 onto the elevating platform 108 so as to be compacted between the companion compacting elements to form a compacted refuse charge 78 on the elevating platform 108 as best shown in FIG- URE 9. The elevating platform 108 is then moved upwardly from its retracted position as indicated by the arrow 110 to its projected position as shown in FIG- URE 10. It will be noted that in said projected or raised position of the elevating platform, the compacted refuse charge 78 is disposed between the discharge member 122 and the front wall opening 106 in the tail gate hopper 22. The discharge member 122 is then operated as indicated by the arrow 124 in FIGURE 11 to the projected position thereof as shown in said figure so as to move the compacted refuse charge 78 from the elevating platform 108 through the discharge opening 106 as indicated by the arrow 128 in FIGURE 11 to move the compacted refuse charge 78 into the hollow interior of the body 26. The discharge member 122 is then returned from its protracted to its retracted position as indicated by the arrow 126 in FIGURE 12 and the elevator platform 108 is moved downwardly from its raised or protracted position to its lowered or retracted position as indicated by the arrow 130 in FIGURE 12. As each successive charge of uncompacted refuse 74 is inserted through the rear end opening 100 into the tail gate hopper 22A the cycle is repeated until the hollow interior of the body 26 is fully loaded with compact refuse charges 78 as illustrated in FIGURE 12. The tail gate hopper 22A is then pivoted to its upper or opened position as indicated by the arrow 132 in FIGURE 12 and while retained in said position, the discharge or unloading member 84 is operated in the direction of the arrow 134 in FIGURE 12 so as to discharge the contents of the hollow truck body 26 outwardly thereof through the rear end opening 28 thereof.

In view of the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has been illustrated and described a highly novel mechanism for loading a tail gate hopper with uncompacted refuse charges which are compacted therein and transferred therefrom into the hollow interior of a truck body. When the truck body of the refuse truck is loaded with compacted refuse charges, the tail gate hopper is retracted to open the rear end opening of the truck body, the compacted refuse charges then being discharged therefrom. It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the present invention without, however, departing from the basic inventive concept thereof as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A refuse truck comprising a refuse storage chamber and a tail gate hopper pivoted to the truck and having an inner wall which closes an end opening of said chamber, an opening provided in said inner wall for communication with said chamber, said hopper having means to load uncompacted refuse charges therein, elevator means provided in said hopper, compacting means provided in said hopper to convert each uncompacted charge into a compacted refuse charge for elevation by elevator means to a raised position, and discharge means provided in said hopper for moving each raised compacted charge from said elevator means through said inner wall opening into said refuse chamber, and unloading means provided in said storage chamber for discharging said compacted charges through said end opening when said hopper is pivoted to a position to uncover said end opening, said hopper having an outer wall and a pair of side walls, said loading means being an opening defined in said outer wall, and said compacting means comprising a pair of cooperating compacting members movable together from retracted positions adjacent said inner and outer walls, respectively.

2. A refuse truck comprising a truck chassis having a cab at one end thereof, an enclosed truck body mounted on said chassis rearwardly of said truck and having an end opening remote from said cab, a tail gate hopper hinged to said truck body to normally close said end opening, said hopper having an inner wall, an outer wall, opposing end walls, an upper wall and a bottom wall, said inner wall having an opening in com-munication with said truck body, an elevator normally disposed on said bottom wall and mounted for reciprocation relative to said top wall, a refuse loading opening defined in said hopper for depositing uncompacted refuse therein, compacting means reciprocable between said inner and outer walls to compact the uncompacted refuse onto said elevator, and discharge means mounted for reciprocation relative to said outer wall for moving the compacted refuse from the raised elevator through said inner wall opening into said truck body, and unloading means mounted in said truck for reciprocation between said cab and said end opening for discharging compacted refuse through said end opening when said hopper is pivoted to a position to uncover said end opening, said refuse loading opening being defined in said outer wall to load the uncompacted refuse between said elevator and said outer wall, and said compacting means comprising a first compacting member normally disposed between said elevator and said inner wall and a second compacting member normally disposed between said elevator and outer wall, said compacting members being movable together to compact said uncompacted refuse onto said elevator.

3. A refuse truck comprising a truck chassis having a cab at one end thereof, an enclosed truck body mounted on said chassis rearwardly of said truck and having an end opening remote from said cab, a tail gate hopper hinged to said truck body to normally close said end opening, said hopper having an inner wall, an outer wall, opposing end walls, an upper wall and a bottom wall, said inner wall having an opening in communication with said truck body, an elevator norm-ally disposed on said bottom wall and mounted for reciprocation relative to said top wall, a refuse loading opening defined in said hopper for depositing uncompacted refuse therein, compacting means reciprocable between said inner and outer walls to compact the uncompacted refuse onto said elevator, and discharge means mounted for reciprocation relative to said outer wall for moving the compacted refuse from the raised elevator through said inner wall opening into said truck body, and unloading means mounted in said truck for reciprocation between said cab and said end opening for discharging compacted refuse through said end opening when said hopper is pivoted to a position to uncover said end opening, said refuse loading opening being defined in one of said end walls to load the uncompacted refuse directly into said elevator, and said compacting means comprising a compacting member normally disposed between said elevator and said inner wall for compressing the uncompacted refuse against said outer wall by reciprocation of said compacting member relative to said outer wall.

4. A refuse truck comprising a refuse storage chamber and a tail gate hopper pivoted to the truck and having an inner wall which closes an end opening of said 7 chamber, an opening provided in said inner wall for communication with said chamber, said hopper having means to load uncompacted refuse charges therein, elevator means provided in said hopper, compacting means provided in said hopper to convert each uncompacted charge into a compacted refuse charge for elevation by elevator means to a raised position, and discharge means provided in said hopper for moving each raised come pacted charge from said elevator means through said inner wall opening into said refuse chamber, and unloading means provided in said storage chamber for discharging said compacted charges through said end opening when said hopper is pivoted to a position to uncover said end opening, said hopper having an outer wall and a pair of side walls, said loading means being an opening defined in one of said walls, and said compacting means comprising a compacting member mounted for compressing the uncompacted refuse against said outer wall by reciprocation of said compacting member relative to said outer wall.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,076,504 4/1937 Ochsner 214-833 2,508,877 5/ 1950 Walker et a1 214518 FOREIGN PATENTS 628,189 3/1936 Germany. 649,350 8/ 1937 Germany.

GERALD M. FORLENZA, Primary Examiner.

ALBERT I. MAKAY, Examiner. 

1. A REFUSE TRUCK COMPRISING A REFUSE STORAGE CHAMBER AND A TAIL GATE HOPPER PIVOTED TO THE TRUCK AND HAVING AN INNER WALL WHICH CLOSES AN END OPENING OF SAID CHAMBER, AN OPENING PROVIDED IN SAID INNER WALL FOR COMMUNCIATION WITH SAID CHAMBER, SAID HOPPER HAVING MEANS TO LOAD UNCOMPACTED REFUSE CHARGES THEREIN, ELEVATOR MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID HOPPER, COMPACTING MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID HOPPER TO CONVERT EACH UNCOMPACTED CHARGE INTO A COMPACTED REFUSE CHARGE FOR ELEVATION BY ELEVATOR MEANS TO A RAISED POSITION, AND DISCHARGE MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID HOPPER FOR MOVING SAID RAISED COMPACTED CHARGED FROM SAID ELEVATOR MEANS THROUGH SAID INNER WALL OPENING INTO SAID REFUSE CHAMBER, AND UNLOADING MEANS PROVIDED IN SAID STORAGE CHAMBER FOR DISCHARGING SAID COMPACTED CHARGES THROUGH SAID END OPENING WHEN SAID HOPPER IS PIVOTED TO A POSITION TO UNCOVER SAID END OPENING, SAID HOPPER HAVING AN OUTER WALL AND A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS, SAID LOADING MEANS BEING AN OPENING DEFINED IN SAID OUTER WALL, AND SAID COMPACTING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF COOPERATING COMPACTING MEMBERS MOVABLE TOGETHER FROM RETRACTED POSITIONS ADJACENT SAID INNER AND OUTER WALLS, RESPECTIVELY. 